Santa Ana artists ask council to remove VARA waiver from Restore Art contracts

Several Restore Art grantees told the Santa Ana City Council that the Arts and Culture Department issued a third contract requiring them to waive federal Visual Artists Rights Act (VARA) protections, which would permit the city to alter or remove murals without artists’ consent. They asked the council to direct the city manager and city attorney to remove the waiver and issue corrected contracts.

What grantees said: Speakers described a pattern in which murals and public artworks have been altered or removed without adequate notice; they called the required waiver “not standard” and said it would allow removal or destruction of artworks, including on private property. They also described administrative problems: delayed grant timelines, multiple contract versions with errors and poor staff communication.

Council reaction: Multiple councilmembers expressed support for artists’ rights and instructed staff to review and correct contracts. Councilmembers noted the importance of upholding artists’ VARA protections and asked staff to ensure future contracts and processes respect those rights and improve communication with artists and the Arts & Culture Commission.

Next steps: Grantees requested a clear directive from council; councilmembers asked the city manager and city attorney to review the contracts and return with corrective actions. No formal vote was required at the Dec. 2 meeting.